Minister Kiuru on submarine cable decision: Finland to be a safe harbour for data

Minister Kiuru on submarine cable decision: Finland to be a safe harbour for data

The Government has granted funding for a new undersea data communication cable to run from Finland to Germany. Minister Krista Kiuru is pleased at the implementation of the cable project started by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The new connection will lure investments into Finland and will make the country an important concentration of international cloud business activity and a location of data centres.

"Our geopolitical location is based both on geography and on decisions that we make ourselves. We ourselves must first have the courage to develop Finland into a significant safe harbour of information, where companies and countries can safely place their critical data. For this reason I proposed the inclusion of a definition of policy on the cable already in last year's framework agreement, on whose basis the preparations have now been brought to a conclusion. With these kinds of actions we significantly strengthen the image of our country as a concentration of data traffic", says Minister of Education and Communications Krista Kiuru, who initially served as midwife of the sea cable.

The use of the internet and business activities related to it are growing exponentially. The submarine cable is expected to bring new business activities to Finland, thereby creating new jobs. Finland's position as a significant concentration of data traffic would also indirectly support employment.

The authorisation and activities of the Ownership Steering Unit, which is responsible for the implementation of the project, strengthen the message that the state is committed to developing a completely new field of industry in Finland. This also increases the desire of private companies to participate in the project.

"It is now possible to turn Finland into a genuine promised land for companies producing cloud services. This investment, together with the cleanest networks and individual protection, will ensure that we are more competitive in luring new business activities to our country", Minister Kiuru says.